Never done a write up before, and didn't take pics during the process, and im on my phone, but here goes:

Pics that I do have:

All material is from Home Depot. I used standard gate hinges on the bottom of the tail gate. The part on the tailgate is secured with a hex bolt, washer, and nut. The bottom part is secured with self taping screws and lock-tight. Before I removed the tailgate, I traced out the hinge where it would be, and marked all the holes. Once tailgate was removed, I simply drilled through the tailgate. On the passenger side, I was able to use one of the pre-existing holes from the original hinge, just drilled it through.
The wire rope is secured in two spots. On the tail gate: I drilled through one of the upper holes from the stock hinge, and secured a eye bolt in place with a fender washer on both sides and a nut. I used two saddles on that end to connect to the eye bolt. The part inside the tub: I used the stock hinge hole on the tub, and put a loop in the wire, and secured with a hex bolt, two fender washers, and a nut.
The locking mechanism is the stock latch for the tailgate. The only thing is that you can't use the stock third brake light wiring location. My TJ has two contacts that when the gate is closed touch. Due to the drop down, and not swing away, I can't use them. But, I don't plan on putting my third brake light back in anyways.
I'm not done yet, still have to clean it up a bit, and make it look a little nicer. I don't plan on sitting on it, so I probably won't put a wire rope on the drivers side.
Hope this answered some of your questions. Feel free to ask any more, either here or shoot me a PM.

NICE! It stays shut just fine with nothing holding it on the passenger side?

How half hour, I must just do it to often, I can have my top up in less than 10 mins, prolly closer to 5

One of the guys I was on the trail with two weeks ago told me it took him 30-45 minutes each time too. I don't get it, I did it in about three minutes in front of him and he just stood there with his jaw hanging and eyes wide... We both had a factory top too...

All material is from Home Depot. I used standard gate hinges on the bottom of the tail gate. The part on the tailgate is secured with a hex bolt, washer, and nut. The bottom part is secured with self taping screws and lock-tight. Before I removed the tailgate, I traced out the hinge where it would be, and marked all the holes. Once tailgate was removed, I simply drilled through the tailgate. On the passenger side, I was able to use one of the pre-existing holes from the original hinge, just drilled it through.
The wire rope is secured in two spots. On the tail gate: I drilled through one of the upper holes from the stock hinge, and secured a eye bolt in place with a fender washer on both sides and a nut. I used two saddles on that end to connect to the eye bolt. The part inside the tub: I used the stock hinge hole on the tub, and put a loop in the wire, and secured with a hex bolt, two fender washers, and a nut.
The locking mechanism is the stock latch for the tailgate. The only thing is that you can't use the stock third brake light wiring location. My TJ has two contacts that when the gate is closed touch. Due to the drop down, and not swing away, I can't use them. But, I don't plan on putting my third brake light back in anyways.
I'm not done yet, still have to clean it up a bit, and make it look a little nicer. I don't plan on sitting on it, so I probably won't put a wire rope on the drivers side.
Hope this answered some of your questions. Feel free to ask any more, either here or shoot me a PM.

Would you be able to post a picture of the whole back when its closed?

Never done a write up before, and didn't take pics during the process, and im on my phone, but here goes:

Pics that I do have:

All material is from Home Depot. I used standard gate hinges on the bottom of the tail gate. The part on the tailgate is secured with a hex bolt, washer, and nut. The bottom part is secured with self taping screws and lock-tight. Before I removed the tailgate, I traced out the hinge where it would be, and marked all the holes. Once tailgate was removed, I simply drilled through the tailgate. On the passenger side, I was able to use one of the pre-existing holes from the original hinge, just drilled it through.
The wire rope is secured in two spots. On the tail gate: I drilled through one of the upper holes from the stock hinge, and secured a eye bolt in place with a fender washer on both sides and a nut. I used two saddles on that end to connect to the eye bolt. The part inside the tub: I used the stock hinge hole on the tub, and put a loop in the wire, and secured with a hex bolt, two fender washers, and a nut.
The locking mechanism is the stock latch for the tailgate. The only thing is that you can't use the stock third brake light wiring location. My TJ has two contacts that when the gate is closed touch. Due to the drop down, and not swing away, I can't use them. But, I don't plan on putting my third brake light back in anyways.
I'm not done yet, still have to clean it up a bit, and make it look a little nicer. I don't plan on sitting on it, so I probably won't put a wire rope on the drivers side.
Hope this answered some of your questions. Feel free to ask any more, either here or shoot me a PM.

I'm definitely going to copy you eventually. Think ill sturdy up the panel under the gate first though. Then use nutserts or something.

I installed 2 Carling switches that were $6 each thru Grainger. A momentary for the garage door opener and a rocker to defeat the dome light switches in the door.
I soldered to the push button contacts of my garage door opener, then zip tied it in place behind the panel.
To defeat the door switches, I pulled the fuse box out, and spliced the switch into the black ground wire for the #4 fuse.

I'll take my time to get my top as flat as possible. It's kinda hard to tell from this picture bit it's the best I have showing how flat I get it.

This shows how flat I get my top. It's a really old picture of my jeep but it's the best I got. I just can't stand when I see jeeps driving around looking like this:

Seeing this just pisses me off. Makes me think you're lazy as it take a whopping 2 or 3 extra minutes to tuck it and make it look nice and neat and not like a bag of ***. Sorry for the rant

I agree I take my time also, but it still only takes a few extra mins...

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowreyfarris

I installed 2 Carling switches that were $6 each thru Grainger. A momentary for the garage door opener and a rocker to defeat the dome light switches in the door.
I soldered to the push button contacts of my garage door opener, then zip tied it in place behind the panel.
To defeat the door switches, I pulled the fuse box out, and spliced the switch into the black ground wire for the #4 fuse.

I'll take my time to get my top as flat as possible. It's kinda hard to tell from this picture bit it's the best I have showing how flat I get it.

This shows how flat I get my top. It's a really old picture of my jeep but it's the best I got. I just can't stand when I see jeeps driving around looking like this:

Seeing this just pisses me off. Makes me think you're lazy as it take a whopping 2 or 3 extra minutes to tuck it and make it look nice and neat and not like a bag of ***. Sorry for the rant

I am right there with you. My OCD wants that thing as flat as I can. My issue is I have an LJ so more cloth to deal with. That is when bungee cords come in handed. A nice blue to match my seat covers of course!

And the zip tie trick was my first mod. The same one was missing when I bought mine from the dealer.

As for top times, a year ago when I first bought it. 30 minutes was the norm for up or down. However Florida's random rainstorms "taught me" to get it done in about 5.

__________________Driving a Jeep is like riding in a roller coaster everyday!

I installed 2 Carling switches that were $6 each thru Grainger. A momentary for the garage door opener and a rocker to defeat the dome light switches in the door.
I soldered to the push button contacts of my garage door opener, then zip tied it in place behind the panel.
To defeat the door switches, I pulled the fuse box out, and spliced the switch into the black ground wire for the #4 fuse.

This is one of the best switch mods I've seen. I have been looking for a way to do the switch for fuse #4, but I wanted it in the panel. Yours looks nice. Any reason you went into the back of the fuse panel rather than putting an inline fuse between the switch and the fuse box (like the harness that quadratec sells)? I'd never thought of the garage door opener, but that may get added to the list just because it's cool.

I am right there with you. My OCD wants that thing as flat as I can. My issue is I have an LJ so more cloth to deal with. That is when bungee cords come in handed. A nice blue to match my seat covers of course!

And the zip tie trick was my first mod. The same one was missing when I bought mine from the dealer.

As for top times, a year ago when I first bought it. 30 minutes was the norm for up or down. However Florida's random rainstorms "taught me" to get it done in about 5.

Took me forever to figure out HOW to fold the dang top so it didn't look like crap. The first few times I just left it messy looking , but I sat there for like 30 minutes one day and finally figured it out. Still don't know if it's the "right" way but it looks a lot better now.

Speaking of tops, anybody know how to figure out what brand mine is? PO said he put a new one on a few months before I bought it, and it looks pretty new but I have no idea what brand it is. I have been looking for markings and can't find any.

__________________
War does not determine who is right, it determines who is left.

Zip ties on the zippers. Now I can put my top up under a half hour and fewer curse words.

If you want a nicer look for very little cost try paracord in a cobra weave pattern. makes a nice tab to grab on to and almost looks like it belongs there. Plus you can make them as long as you want so they are easier to grab than the stock ones. I had a few zipper tabs broke on mine and tried it out. I have pics somewhere if you want em.

__________________
War does not determine who is right, it determines who is left.